And to the Victor, the Spoils
by Etched In Fire
Summary: 0 ALW - After liberating Katina from the Venomian Army, the Star Fox team puts their crusade on pause. As Katina celebrates their victory, the team heads out for a beer and to catch up with an old friend.


Hello all, decided to take a small breather from the larger projects and do a quick one-shot that takes place after the Katina level in SF64. I might do more of these as they're kind of fun and relaxing to do, if that makes any sense at all (and less of a time commitment!). Sometimes ya just gotta write some chill stuff, y'know?

 **Note:** Even though in the game, the Katina and Fichina level can't be played in the same "run", I still count both of them as happening regardless as there's nothing story-wise that really causes them to cancel each other out. So yeah, keep that in mind!

I hope you enjoy~

* * *

 **And to the Victor, the Spoils**

Across the frontier of the Katina wilds stirred not a mouse in the wake of the foiled invasion. With smoke still filtering from the wreckage of the dreaded Saucerer in the backdrop of the esteemed Katina City, the city had taken to celebrating their victory. The streets breathed with party-goers, civilians sitting out on the hoods of their hovercars, in their driveways, arms linked in the roads. Joyous conversation, rowdy singing, and drunken cheers merged into a chaotic sound that rose into the air. It was an ill-fitting song for the soft sunset that loomed on the horizon. But it did not matter. The Saucerer was felled.

Katina was safe again.

"They sure are happy," Slippy commented as they walked down the road. He was eyeing a particular group of canines, sitting out on the front lawn of a bank and drinking beers contained in brilliantly-colored aluminum cans.

"Aren't you?" Fox asked, quirking a brow at his shorter companion.

"Of course! It's just… you'd have thought we won the whole war today," Slippy remarked.

"We do have a long way to go," Falco admitted bitterly.

"Well, we can relax for a night," Peppy interrupted before Fox could speak up. The stern-eyed hare cracked a smile. But it was short-lived, slain by that strict, fatherly tone the hare often donned, "We've been going at this nonstop since Corneria. I know that General Pepper is counting on us. But I also know we deserve to enjoy ourselves every now and then. Just don't get too drunk! We got a long week ahead of us."

"Yes, sir," Fox replied with a not-entirely-promising smirk.

Falco could not suppress his shit-eating grin. "You got it, old man. One sober as hell bird will be ready to roll out tomorrow mornin'!" It was, of course, a bold-face lie. But the avian did not miss a beat in wrapping a vivid blue wing around Fox's shoulders, leaning in with a quieter voice. "So where's this party at?"

"Just down the street," Fox replied. "It's a bar. Everyone goes there."

"I didn't know you knew Katina so well," Falco commented.

"Slippy and I did some eh... 'intern work' here when we were still in the Academy," Fox shrugged. "Me, Slip, Lucy, and Bill…"

 _Bill. Sometimes I still wish he had accepted my offer and joined Star Fox. But I understand why he didn't. His family is so far into the politics and the military… he's doing what's expected of him._ A gander about the lively streets and Fox wondered if they would be standing there if Bill had not enlisted. Who would have led them to victory? Would it have even been a victory? _I guess everything happens for a reason._

They carried on, the streets partially littered with scrap metal from the fight. A downed Venomian fighter had crashed a few yards away from the road, creating web-like cracks in the black asphalt. Its pilot had been dragged out hours before, evidenced by the opened cockpit. If they had not been beaten to death by the crowds of Katinans, then they were incarcerated elsewhere—safely under lock and key. A few houses had sustained damage, but they were lucky in that most of the skirmish had happened outside of city limits.

What mattered most to the celebrating Katinans, however, was that their beloved bar was still intact. It was an establishment built in the first days of colonies. The current model was built on top of the old building, its walls reinforced. A large mushroom had been designed from lights, sitting atop the building. A few of the words had been obliterated by laser fire, but Fox knew the bar was supposed to read "The Lonely Mushroom". An arrow pointed down the mushroom's stem, directing any wandering souls to the front doors. Falco gave it a skeptical look and Fox couldn't help but laugh.

"What's the deal?" Falco asked.

"It's to help the drunk people find this place," Fox chuckled.

"Is Katina a planet full of drunks?" Falco grimaced.

 _Ooh. Yeah. Probably not the best topic for him._ Falco had scarcely discussed his father since joining the team. Fox could count on one hand the times the avian had ever dared to mention him. It had not taken a genius to understand what had happened—not when every time Falco mentioned him, alcohol was involved. Alcohol and a pained expression.

"Partiers, sure. Drunks? Not really. There's hard-working folk out here. But there's a big beer culture here, too. It's one of the most popular industries on the planet. Everyone across the Lylat System orders shipments of beer from Katina," Fox shrugged.

"Well, yeah, I know _that_ ," Falco retorted. "I just didn't think it was such a big thing here."

"Well, when the city started out, there wasn't much else to entertain people," Fox shrugged and strolled towards The Lonely Mushroom.

When he entered the doors, he was greeted with cheers—cheers so loud that their volume shook him nearly from consciousness. Fox took a moment to gather himself, looking at the wide array of joyous faces at the various tables. A few soldiers lifted their mugs to him in respect. A couple paused their swing-dancing on the table to applaud the approaching heroes. Fox could not help but smile.

"There he is, the man of the hour!" Bill Grey manifested from the crowd of canines, felines, bovines, and lapins. With that relaxed, charming smile he always wore, the bulldog clasped Fox's hand heartily.

"Oh c'mon, I only did some of it," Fox replied, feeling his cheeks warm and his fur prickle with slight embarrassment. "We couldn't have done it without you all."

"Don't be modest, Fox," Bill laughed and promptly shoved a mug into his hand. "And grab a drink. We've got a lot to catch up on." He looked over his shoulder. "Hey, get these three mugs, too! These boys saved our tails back there, let's show 'em some respect!"

More applause and whistles rang through the air. Fox could hear Peppy's merry laugh, a gentle rumble that was contagious. Even Falco gave a chuckle, his sapphire eyes widening at the beer thrust into his hand. Bill beckoned for them to follow and so they did, winding their way through the crowd until they found the booth Bill had set aside for them. As they all piled in, Fox was careful not to spill his drink. He sipped at the foam that had formed on the beer's surface, its bubbles fizzing on the rim of the glass.

"Heya, Slipster, I see you're still in one piece. Been keepin' those Arwings in shape?" Bill asked.

"Of course! Just me and ROB doing maintenance… You think these other three would help every now and then, but…" the toad gave them a sharp look each.

"Heh, maybe they just wanna let the pro handle it. You always had a knack for that stuff, my dude," Bill said with a shrug. He looked to Peppy, grasping his free hand in a zealous shake. "Mr. Hare! So glad you're here. Been keepin' in touch with Lucy since the war started. Sounds like she's doing real good back in the city."

"She's definitely keepin' busy. Space Dynamics hired her on. She's helping on the newest generation of fighters. I don't think she'll stay there forever, but it's something she's good at. She gets to see Fara a lot too, so there's at least some familiar faces there," Peppy nodded to Bill.

"Oh, yeah! Fara! How's she been, Fox?" Bill's dark almond eyes turned to him.

"Good. Busy testing ships before they hit the front lines," Fox said, feeling a smile crawl its way onto his muzzle.

"Look at that. He's practically smitten," Bill leaned back, taking a thoughtful drink from his mug.

"Awww, Foxy-boy's in love," Falco teased.

"And I don't think we've met yet," Bill said, eyeing Falco up and down. "Name's Bill." He offered his hand.

Falco took it after a moment's hesitation. Bill's handshake was wild but Falco managed to hold on without dislocating his shoulder. When the dog let go, he gave the avian a big smile.

"Falco. Nice t'meet ya," Falco replied. It was probably the politest Fox had ever seen him.

"Bill used to go to school with us. I may have mentioned that," Fox explained quickly.

"Only a zillion times," Falco remarked.

"You must be the guy they found when I turned Fox down," Bill said after a long drink from his glass mug. "I saw how you were flyin' out there. You looked good. Where you train? Zoness?"

"Corneria," Falco answered.

"What?!" Bill laughed. "I don't remember you at the Academy."

Fox felt himself laugh but he silenced it by dipping his snout into his beer. It was a good brew, faintly sweet as though berries had steeped in it. Its light taste danced on his tongue—a blessing, as he tried to focus on it and not the irony of the situation.

 _When I couldn't find a fourth pilot, I wasn't sure what to do. But then the rumors started. The rumors of break-ins at the training facility late at night. A mysterious burglar, booting up the flight simulator and beating the top scores to a pulp – especially Bill's. A mysterious person who initialed their score with "FL". Heh… it took a lot of convincing to get that mysterious guy on our team. And maybe Falco's rough around the edges. But we couldn't have picked someone better. I see that now._

"I didn't go to the Academy," Falco shrugged. A smug smirk had wound its way onto his beak.

"Huh?" Bill asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Falco's a delinquent!" Slippy chimed in unhelpfully.

"A what?" Bill asked, cocking his head to the other side.

"I'm self-trained," Falco admitted. "Let's… leave it at that."

"That's awesome, dude!" Bill said, erupting into a huge grin. "You must be a good teacher _and_ student, huh?"

"Heh, you could say that," Falco said with a sly wink.

Fox's eyes danced between the bulldog and the bird. _Well, they're certainly hitting it off. And for the better, too. I know Bill's got a competitive streak. Kinda glad he didn't pry too hard or they'd be going at it._ The vulpine gave a tiny smirk.

"Man, sometimes I wish I'd taken your offer. But I guess you didn't need me after all," Bill's voice tore Fox from his thoughts.

Quirking a cream-toned brow, Fox remarked, "Well, it's not too late. You could still come with us."

"And get branded a deserter? I think my parents would have my tail if good ol' General Pepper didn't," Bill replied light-heartedly. "Nah, I like my team. And I think they like me too. I think this was the right choice to make. Even if I wish I could be as cool as _the Great Fox McCloud_."

"Oh stop it," Fox rolled his eyes, unable to deny his friend a smile. He glanced at the table, noticing that Slippy had vanished sometime during their conversation. At once, his emerald gaze searched the crowd of partying, half-drunk folk but his short green friend was no where to be found.

Sensing Fox's alarm, Bill said, "Oh, Slippy stepped out. Said he got a phone call from his Pops."

"Oh, probably more war stuff," Fox said with a sigh. "And here I was wanting a break from that. Just for a night."

"The world keeps on turnin'," Bill shrugged. "No matter what we want. Heh, I'm glad you guys could make it here for tonight. When I heard that you were gonna head out already, I thought 'No way! First time I see Fox in years and he ditches me like that?'. But guess you knew better, eh?"

"I didn't want to get on your bad side," Fox retorted playfully.

"Well, unlike you, I don't mind getting on _your_ bad side," Bill grinned and promptly stood up on the table, lifting his mug into the air.

"Oh great, what are you doing now?" Fox felt his face grow hot with embarrassment.

"I wanna thank everyone for comin' out here tonight! That we all get to do this is 'cause of your hard work and dedication!" Bill began his speech, words vaguely slurred. It did not matter—the crowd was instantly hooked on him, hanging on each word he said as his dark eyes swept across them. The beer in his hand was held like a trophy, an idol for everyone to marvel at. His smile was genuine. "We had it rough today. And we lost some good people. Some might think it's weird we're out here havin' beers, dancin', and havin' a good time. But to hell with it, I say. The dead didn't die so we could cry. They died so we could live. And so, let's live for 'em and show 'em that we'll always remember them… even if we don't remember the rest of the night. To the honored dead!"

"To the honored dead!" the rest of them cheered back, clinking their mugs together. Fox felt his own hand raise up, clicking mugs with Peppy and Falco.

As Bill sat back down, Fox quirked a brow at him. "I didn't know you were a fancy speech kinda guy. The Bill I remember used to shake in his boots at the thought of public speaking."

"Heh, you gotta be when so many people are lookin' to you for guidance," Bill remarked and Fox felt his words hit heavy in his own heart. The bulldog was right; when you were in a leadership position, it fell on you to keep morale high and to not show grief, even when it was hard. The next time the vulpine's pupils met Bill's, he could see the distinct beginning of tears glossing over the dog's eyes.

 _I guess he probably lost friends out there today._

"Hey guys!" Slippy exclaimed, announcing his arrival. He plopped ungracefully into the booth, still holding his phone. "I just got a call from my dad! He says that he sent some Space Dynamics people to look at the Saucerer and he thinks that we can use some of the data left over to track where it came from. He says the alloys used on the exterior seem like they might be from beyond the Lylat System!"

"Whoa, that's awesome!" Bill replied. "And no wonder it was so hard to kill. Our lasers probably aren't made for piercing that kinda metal."

"He also thinks we can maybe use those kinds of metals for future Cornerian ships," Slippy added. "It's a pretty big deal."

"I bet Andross is gonna be real pissed off when he finds out," Falco smirked.

"Let him be, I say!" Peppy shrugged before taking a big drink.

"And to the victor, the spoils!" Bill grinned and took a drink. "Let Andross chew on the idea of his own discoveries bein' used against him."

 _Irony at its finest, honestly. Still, as much fun as it is to think about that, these last few battles have been hard. First, Corneria City. Then the trip through Meteo. Then Fichina…_ He checked Peppy in his peripherals, still mulling over the hare's reaction to encountering Pigma again. He had said nothing of it since they had departed the snow-ridden planet. Fox could not help but fear that the hog had rattled something in Peppy's mind. _Peppy's strong, he'll get through this._

Interrupting his thoughts were two back-to-back buzzes from his phone. Two message notifications sprung up, the first being from Fara. Fox tilted his head, feeling his worried thoughts disappear as he opened his girlfriend's message. It read:

 _"Hey Flyboy, I heard about Katina. Good job out there! There were some clips of you flying on the news. Looks like you've really mastered that Arwing. Can't wait to see you fly it in person next time you're in Corneria City. Hope that's sooner than later, and not because the Venomians broke through the barrier. ;)"_

He smiled, promising her silently that he would text her back as he backed out of their lengthy message chain and clicked on the other new message. Fox's heart sank when he realized it was a notification from General Pepper that said:

 _"Good evening Fox, I just received an update from Captain Grey about your success at Katina City. Very glad you were able to make it. I trust you and Bill are getting some time to catch up. You certainly deserve a bit of rest. Unfortunately, the next mission has already come in. Suspicious activity has been located at Sector X and we will need you to investigate it. Please let me know if that is doable for you and your crew as soon as possible."_

A burdened sigh passed from his agape maw and Fox's forehead met the table with a gentle 'thud'. The weight of everything came back, his worries feeling at least twenty times heavier. _That's right. I wasn't supposed to be thinking about the war. But it seems like everything is the war these days._ He exhaled more air he had somehow been holding in his lungs, trying to calm his nerves. _Don't think about work, don't think about war, tonight we just drink, tonight we have fun and-_

"You okay, buddy? Too much beer?" Falco asked snidely. "Do I need to get you a water?"

One of his ears flitted to the side. "Pepper sent us the next mission. We're headin' to Sector X," Fox replied, looking to the others. "I'm gonna tell him we can do it. But we're taking the rest of the night off. And I'm not hearing any complaints."

"None from me. I hope Pepper knows he's paying us for every asshat we shoot down, right? And I'm saying that flying saucer is worth at least thirty," Falco remarked.

"No complaints from me either. In fact…" Peppy began, putting more money on the table. "I'm gettin' us a pitcher. Be right back, boys." The old hare got up and went to the bar.

"I'm not complaining either! Let's party it up!" Slippy cheered.

The night progressed with much partying and merriment. Slippy was whisked onto an impromptu dance floor by a curvy coyote woman, who seemed more than slightly infatuated with the team's mechanic. His cheeks reddened, but he indulged the woman to the best of his ability, his awkward flailing merging into the crowd of drunken folk that had begun to invade the dance floor. Fox watched him, laughing as the lady gave him a gentle peck on his cheek. Slippy looked as though he was going to faint.

 _I don't think he's been on a date in years. A date… Oh, shit, Fara!_

He texted her back quickly:

 _"Thanks hon. Hope the camera got my good side. I wish you were here with us. Can't wait to see you again. Love you. 3"_

It felt more hollow than it sounded, but maybe it was the threat of war hanging over his head, even as he drank more to not think on it. He really did wish that things had not come to this. On nights like this, hanging out at the bars felt empty without Fara at his side. His arm missed the way the curve of her waist felt and his nose missed the soft sandalwood and vanilla perfume she loved to don.

Fox stood up, feeling himself move and the room rotate. He wished he had drunk more water to offset the strength of the Katinan beer. Bill laughed at him, his voice sounding far away in the cacophony of cheers, singing, and conversation.

"You okay, Fox?" the bulldog asked.

"Yeah, just need some air," Fox shrugged and stumbled his way to the front door.

Even lightly drunk, he appreciated the wind that caressed Katina. The streets had mostly cleared. The sidewalks were lined with people chatting and loitering. Nearby, a couple hugged each other and Fox's stomach churned at the thought of why they were hugging. So many of these people had feared they would be enslaved by the Venomians—or worse, executed.

 _But this is how Andross plays his game. He kills people. He tears apart their lives. And what for? Why do any of this?_ He could not fathom the darkness Andross felt. His thoughts moved to the funeral he barely remembered—that of his mother, her casket lined with ruby-red roses. He remembered only that and the sound of his father sobbing. In hindsight, he was not sure why they had let him attend. Fox knew he had been too young to understand what was going on or even why.

And then he thought of his father—a thought that a greater part of himself jerked away from. He did not like to think of it—it was still too raw to remember. He sighed, feeling the breeze course against his fur. One of his hands touched the pair of sunglasses sitting in his pocket. His father would have yelled at him for putting them there.

" 'Sup," Bill heralded his arrival, handing Fox a glass of water. "Falco told me to get ya this. Guess the Katinan beers are a lot stronger than—"

"It's not that. Just hard to not think about… everything," Fox said, accepting the water and taking a sip. It had been cooled to perfection, refreshing his senses as he drank. "I'm a bad leader. I told them not to worry and here I am… worrying. How do you do it, Bill? How do you sit there and pretend like everything is okay…" The next few words faltered. "… when there are people that are _dead_ …?"

"Easy," Bill shrugged. "You don't pretend everything's okay."

Fox looked alarmed, but awaited the bulldog's explanation.

"Things suck out here. But we don't have to be sad about it," Bill said to him. "Being sad only gets you so far, Fox. And I…" He paused, choosing his words very carefully. "I worried you were leaving the Academy because you were sad. Not because you were excited at the thought of remaking Star Fox."

 _And that's fair. I guess I was worried about that too, for a while. But there's nothing else I'd rather be doing. Even if it sucks that the war is here, Bill's right. Letting sadness cloud everything isn't going to get us anywhere in the end._

"Are you excited at fighting?" Fox asked him.

"No. I don't think anyone is," Bill shook his head. "I'm not fighting because it makes me happy. I'm fighting because I'm _protecting_ what makes me happy."

 _He's right. Protecting everyone is what matters in the end. But it's just… it's so hard to let go of what happened to Dad. Maybe that's something time will fix. Maybe that's something shooting a set of lasers into Andross's face will fix. I don't know. I feel like everything is just a mess._

"Fox?" Bill prompted, raising his brows.

"We're a long way from home," Fox said softly into the night. "I think—" His words were cut off by a distinct whistling noise.

Immediately, the vulpine turned around, eyes searching the dark skies for the source. His heart raced, the alcohol slowing his thought process. He fumbled for his blaster but it was no where to be found. Dimly, he remembered Peppy telling him to leave it on the Great Fox and he silently gritted his teeth. He was moments from saying something to Bill, fear bubbling in his chest that the Venomians had returned. But just as soon as the vulpine spied the rising dark speck in the distance, it exploded into an array of colors—vivid violets, reds, and blues. Four more flashes of light joined it, popping and crackling with color. The sky became a rainbow of hues. His keen nose detected the faintest scent of smoke drift in the breeze.

"Fireworks," Fox said in understanding, feeling the tension release from his shoulders.

"Yeah, dude, it's a celebration," Bill laughed, clapping Fox on the back. "We did it. We saved Katina."

"We did," Fox relented his frustration, feeling a tiny smile curl his lips.

Slippy, Falco, and Peppy emerged from the bar. Their eyes were transfixed at the skies, watching the fireworks explode over Katina City in reverence. Peppy smiled too—and Fox felt the weight of his worries float away. Bill put his arms around Slippy and Fox both, grinning from ear-to-ear at them. All five of them stood in silence at the fireworks show carried on. The stars were blotted out by the splendor of pyrotechnics. Fox felt his breath get stolen away by the sight. He glanced across their faces, memorizing the details of them and the way the glow from the fireworks bathed them in soft light.

It was a moment he silently vowed to never forget.


End file.
